Mobile communication terminal having camera function and method of controlling photographing process thereof

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a mobile communication terminal having a camera function and a method of controlling a photographing process thereof. According to an embodiment of the invention, the mobile communication terminal comprises two buttons relating to the camera function positioned separately on a main body of the terminal, wherein one of the two button is settled as a photographing button and the other is settled as a supporting button according to a user&#39;s choice. Under such a settling state, the mobile communication terminal is structured to protrude a camera lens or to take a photograph only when all of the two buttons are pushed. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a possibility of a dropping of the terminal due to a user&#39;s carelessness during the photographing, and to decrease a possibility of damage danger of a camera lens even when the terminal is dropped on the ground.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is claiming priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-108855, filed on Dec. 20, 2004, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal having a camera function and a method of controlling a photographing process thereof, and more particularly to a mobile communication terminal having a camera function and a method of controlling a photographing process thereof capable of reducing a possibility of a dropping of the terminal due to a user's carelessness, decreasing a possibility of damage danger of a camera lens even when the terminal is dropped, and obtaining an erect photographed image even when the user takes a photograph under state that the mobile communication terminal is turned upside down.

2. Background of the Related Art

In recent years, as electrics, electronics and communication related technologies are rapidly developed, a mobile communication terminal having a camera function gets widespread. FIG. 1 shows a photographing situation using a mobile communication terminal having a camera function according to the prior art.

Typically, when taking a photograph with the prior mobile communication terminal 10, as shown in FIG. 1, a user supports a bottom surface of a main body 11 with fingers 15, 16, and then pushes a button 12 with another finger to take a photograph of a subject for photography.

In this case, a camera lens 13 may be structured to outwardly protrude from the main body 11 by a predetermined distance or to return to the main body 11, according to an operation of a zoom mode of the mobile communication terminal 10. By doing so, the user can fit the subject located at a long or short distance to a desired focus and then take a photograph precisely.

In the mean time, when taking a photograph with the mobile communication terminal 10, the user pushes the button 12 with his finger 14, and simultaneously, has to support the bottom surface of the main body 11 with his other fingers 15, 16 in order to correspond to the force of pushing the button 12, so that the main body 11 does not drop on the ground (floor). That is, when taking a photograph, the mobile communication terminal 10 may be supported by applying force, which corresponds to the force of pushing the button 12, to the opposite surface of the button 12. In this case, if we refer to the button 12 and the point supported by the fingers 15, 16 as “forcing point” and “supporting point” respectively, the mobile communication terminal 10 can be supported stably when the forces applying the forcing point and the supporting point are balanced to each other.

If the mobile communication terminal 10 has a call or receive a message at the state being not supported stably, the user's attention may be distracted, so that she or he may commit an error of dropping the mobile communication terminal 10 on the ground. Like this, if the mobile communication terminal 10 is dropped on the ground during the photographing, the mobile communication terminal 10 may be applied with an unexpected great shock.

Needless to say, since most parts constituting the mobile communication terminal 10 are stably mounted in the main body 11, they can still maintain normal function states thereof even if some shock was applied to them. However, if the mobile communication terminal 10 is dropped on the ground under state that the camera lens 13 is outwardly protruded from the main body 11, the camera lens is highly damaged compared to other parts.

In the mean time, when taking a photograph of a specific subject (for example, a user's face) with the mobile communication terminal 10, as shown in FIG. 2, the user performs an unnatural action such as changing a position of a hand or up-and down positions of the mobile communication terminal 10. FIG. 2 shows a photographing situation under state that a mobile communication terminal having a camera function is turned upside down. As shown in FIG. 2, the camera lens 12 provided to the main body 11 of the mobile communication terminal faces the user. In FIG. 2, the user can take a photograph by pushing the camera button 12 with the thumb of the right hand.

However, as shown in FIG. 2, when grasping the mobile communication terminal 10 unnaturally or taking a photograph under state that the mobile communication terminal 10 is turned upside down, a possibility of dropping the mobile communication terminal 10 is increased. Further, when taking a photograph under state that the mobile communication terminal 10 is turned upside down, up-and-down (U/D) positions of a photographed image (I) are inverted and the image is stored upside down.

In order to erect the photographed image (I) under state that the photographed image (I) is stored upside down, the user should additionally perform, for example, “a photographed product-previewing mode”, which is one of functions provided to the mobile communication terminal 10, to adjust the U/D positions of the photographed image (I). Therefore, the user should put up with inconveniences of adjusting the positions of the photographed image (I) so as to correct the photographed image stored upside down.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art. The object of the present invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal having a camera function capable of basically interrupting a protruding of a camera lens unless a user supports the mobile communication terminal stably when taking a photograph so as to prevent the camera lens from being damaged due to a dropping of the terminal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal capable of storing an erect photographed image even when taking a photograph under state that the mobile communication terminal is turned upside down.

In order to accomplish the objects, there is provided a mobile communication terminal having a camera function comprising: a main body having a camera lens; at least one photographing button and at least one supporting button mounted to an outside of the main body; a camera function module for performing a camera function according to pushed states of the photographing button and the supporting button to produce a photographed image; and a lens protruding control module for checking whether the supporting button is pushed when the photographing button is pushed to outwardly protrude the camera lens from the main body or return the camera lens to the main body according to the checking result.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of controlling a photographing process of a mobile communication terminal having a camera function module, comprising steps of: determining whether a photographing button is pushed; determining whether a supporting button is pushed when the photographing button is pushed; and communicating with the camera function module to protrude a camera lens when the supporting button is pushed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a photographing situation using a mobile communication terminal having a camera function according to the prior art;

FIG. 2 shows a photographing situation under state that a mobile communication terminal having a camera function according to the prior art is turned upside down;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a photographed image which can be produced when taking a photograph under state that a mobile communication terminal having a camera function according to the prior art is turned upside down;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an internal structure of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a typical photographing state using a mobile communication terminal having a camera function according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a photographing situation under state that a mobile communication terminal having a camera function according to the invention is turned upside down;

FIG. 7A conceptually shows an information storing state of a button settling specification-storing buffer according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7B conceptually shows an information storing state of a button settling specification-storing buffer according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a method of controlling a photographing process of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 9 shows a photographed image having U/D positions adjusted by a photographed image position-adjusting module according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an internal structure of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 4, a mobile communication terminal 20 according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a main body 21, a terminal controlling module 25 mounted in the main body 21, a terminal function auxiliary module 28 (for example, contents memory, program memory and keypad driving module, etc.) which is computer-managed under control of the terminal controlling module 25, a call-related circuit module 29 (for example, signal transmitter, signal receiver, antenna, duplexer, base-band, frequency synthesizer, modulator, demodulator, etc.), a display driving module 33, a camera function module 35 and a photographed image storing module 27.

The display driving module 33 serves to display various characters (or numerals), pictures and images, etc. through a display window 34 under control of the terminal controlling module 25.

The camera function module 35 performs a camera function to produce a photographed image according to pushed states of a first button 22 and a second button 24 which are mounted to be outwardly exposed from the main body 21. Preferably, the camera function module 35 may be structured to perform the camera function only when the first and second buttons 22, 24 are pushed together. In this case, the camera function module 35 protrudes or returns a camera lens 23 to focus and then electrically (electronically) processes incident light through the camera lens 23, thereby producing a photographed image.

The photographed image storing module 27 serves to store and manage the photographed image produced by the camera function module 35, under control of the terminal controlling module 25.

The first and second buttons 22, 24 are buttons related to the camera function, wherein one of the buttons is set as a photographing button and the other is set as a supporting button. Preferably, the first and second buttons 22, 24 may be settled separately on opposing surfaces of the main body, for example, an upper surface and a bottom surface of the main body 21. Settling positions and number of the first and second buttons may be variously changed according to using conditions. The first and second buttons will be more specifically explained later.

A button operation checking module 26 checks whether the first and second buttons 22, 24 are pushed of not under control of the terminal controlling module 25, and transmits the check result to the terminal controlling module 25. By doing so, a series of photographed image producing processes performed by the camera function module 35 are progressed normally.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate photographing states using the mobile communication terminal having the camera function according to an embodiment of the invention. Since the buttons related to the camera function are settled separately as the first and second buttons 22, 24, a user can take a photograph with the mobile communication terminal being turned upside down as shown in FIG. 6 as well as with the mobile communication terminal being set upright as shown in FIG. 5. In other words, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a user supports the bottom surface of the main body 21 with fingers 15,16 and then can take a photograph of a subject for photography by pushing the first button 22 with another finger 14. Meanwhile, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, it can be structured such that a user supports the upper surface of the main body 21 with fingers 15,16 and then takes a photograph of a subject for photography (for example, a user's face, etc.) by pushing the second button 24 settled on the bottom surface of the main body with another finger 17.

In this case, the camera lens 23 protrudes outwardly from the main body 21 by a predetermined length or returns to the main body 21 under control of a camera lens driving part 35 a (refer to FIG. 4) belonging to the camera function module 35, thereby guiding the user to fit a subject for photography located at a long or short distance to a desired focus so as to take a photograph of it precisely.

In the mean time, the mobile communication terminal according to the invention may further comprise a lens protruding control module 30 and a button settling specification-storing buffer 31 so that a damage of the camera lens can be minimized even if the mobile communication terminal is dropped on the ground during the photographing. The detailed explanations are as follows.

Each of FIGS. 7A and 7B is a view showing an information storing state of the button settling specification-storing buffer. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the first and second buttons 22, 24 can be set such that one of the two buttons is set as a photographing button and the other is set as a supporting button according to a user's choice. Like this, the photographing button and the supporting button can be set so that their settling functions are changed each other according to a user's choice. These settling information are stored in the button settling specification-storing buffer 31.

When the photographing button of the first and second buttons 22, 24 is pushed, the lens protruding control module 30, in conjunction with the button settling specification-storing buffer 31, checks whether the other button set as the supporting button is also pushed and thereby performs the function of protruding the camera lens 23 outwardly or returning it to the main body.

For example, under state that the first button 22 and the second button 24 are set as a photographing button and a supporting button, respectively, if the user pushes the first photographing button 22 with a finger and also the second supporting button 24 with other finger at the same time, the lens protruding control module 30 determines that “the main body 21 is stably supported.” In this case, the lens protruding control module 30 immediately communicates with the terminal controlling module 25 and the camera function module 35, thereby causing the camera lens 23 to normally protrude outwardly from the main body 21.

To the contrary, if the user pushes the first photographing button 22 but does not push the second supporting button 24 by mistake (or inevitably), the lens protruding control module 30 determines that “the main body 21 is under unstable state.” In this case, the lens protruding control module 30 immediately communicates with the terminal controlling module 25 and the camera function module 35, thereby causing the camera lens 23 to return to the main body 21 or to maintain its original returned state.

For another example, under state that the first button 22 and the second button 24 are set as a supporting button and a photographing button, respectively, when the user pushes the second photographing button 24 with a finger and the first supporting button 22 with another finger (palm) at the same time as shown in FIG. 6, the lens protruding control module 30 determines that “the main body 21 is stably supported.” Accordingly, the lens protruding control module 30 immediately communicates with the terminal controlling module 25 and the camera function module 35, thereby causing the camera lens 23 to normally protrude outwardly from the main body 21.

To the contrary, when the user pushes the second photographing button 24 but does not push the first supporting button 22 by mistake (or inevitably), the lens protruding control module 30 determines that “the main body 21 is under unstable state.” Accordingly, the lens protruding control module 30 immediately communicates with the terminal controlling module 25 and the camera function module 35, thereby causing the camera lens 23 to return to the main body 21 or to maintain its original returned state.

In the mean time, the mobile communication terminal 20 according to an embodiment of the invention may comprise a photographed image position-adjusting module 32. The photographed image position-adjusting module 32 performs a function of finally producing an upright photographed image, i.e., an erect photographed image even when the photographing is taken under state that the mobile communication terminal 20 is turned upside down, as shown in FIG. 6.

As soon as the camera function module 35 produces a photographed image and the photographed image is secured through the terminal controlling module 25, the photographed image position-adjusting module 32, in conjunction with the button settling specification-storing buffer 31, automatically adjusts up-and-down positions of the photographed image, based on a position of the photographing button.

For example, if the user takes a photograph under state that the mobile communication terminal 20 is turned upside down as shown in FIG. 6 and the second button 24 is set as a photographing button, the photographed image position-adjusting module 32 adjusts up-and-down positions of the photographed image to be finally produced to be erect, based on an settling position of the second button 24.

Hereinafter, a method of controlling a photographing process with the mobile communication terminal 20 according to an embodiment of the invention will be specifically described.

Firstly, a user previously sets which one of the first and second buttons 22, 24 is used as a photographing or supporting button.

In this case, the button settling specification-storing buffer 31 stores and manages the setting information under communication with the terminal controlling module 25, thereby assisting the lens protruding control module 30 and the photographed image position-adjusting module 32, etc. to smoothly perform each of the functions.

After the settling, the user pushes a button set as a photographing button to progress a series of photographing processes. A detailed description thereof is as follows.

The lens protruding control module 30 continuously comparison-checks information outputted from the terminal controlling module 25 and the information stored in the button settling specification-storing buffer 31, thereby determining whether the button set as the photographing button is pushed or not (S1).

As a result of the determination in the step of S1, when the button set as the photographing button is pushed, it is checked whether a button set as the supporting button is also pushed (S2). The determination in the step of S2 may be performed by the lens protruding control module 30 which comparison-checks the information outputted from the terminal controlling module 25 and the information stored in the button settling specification-storing buffer 31 once more.

As a result of the determination in the step of S2, if the photographing button and the supporting button are pushed together, the lens protruding control module 30 determines that “the main body 21 is stably supported”, and immediately transmits a signal of requesting a start of the camera function or a maintenance of the camera function started already as it is (S5) and also transmits a signal of requesting a protruding of the camera lens 23 or a maintenance of the protruded state as it is to the terminal controlling module 25 and the camera function module 35 (S6).

When the request signal is received, the camera function module 35 immediately protrudes the camera lens 23 to focus and then electrically (electronically) processes incident light received through the camera lens 35 to produce a photographed image (S101).

In the mean time, as the determination result in the step of S2, if the photographing button is pushed but the supporting button is not pushed, the lens protruding control module 30 determines that “the main body 21 is under unstable state”, and immediately transmits a signal of requesting a stopping of the camera function or a maintenance of the camera function under stand-by state to the terminal controlling module 25 and the camera function module 35 (S3). Then, it transmits a signal of requesting a return of the camera lens 23 to the main body 21 or a maintenance of the camera lens 23 as it is returned (S4).

When the request signal is received, the camera function module 35 immediately stops the camera function (or makes the camera function be stand-by), or returns the protruded camera lens 23 to the main body 21 (i.e., maintains the camera lens as it is inserted into the main body).

Like this, under state that the camera lens 23 is returned to the main body 21 or stably inserted into the main body 21, it is possible to considerably reduce a possibility of a damage of the camera lens due to a shock even if the mobile communication terminal 20 is dropped on the ground.

In the mean time, under state that the photographing process (S101) is being progressed, the lens protruding control module 30 continues to check the information transmitted from the terminal controlling module 21, thereby determining whether the photographing process by the camera function module 35 is all completed or not (S7).

As a result of the determination in the step of S7, when the photographing process is not completed, the lens protruding control module 30 progresses the process of the invention to the step of S2 and thus continues to check whether the supporting button is pushed or not.

To the contrary, as the determination result in the step of S7, when the photographing process is all completed, the lens protruding control module 30 immediately transmits a signal of informing the completion of a production of the photographed image to the photographed image position-adjusting module 32 via the terminal controlling module 25.

The photographed image position-adjusting module 32 having received the signal immediately operates a series of image adjusting routines to automatically adjust the up-and-down positions of the photographed image (I) produced by the camera function module 35, based on the position of the photographing button (the first or second button), as shown In FIG. 9 (S8).

For example, as shown in FIG. 6, even though the user takes a photograph under state that the mobile communication terminal 20 is turned upside down, if the second button 24 is settled as the photographing button, the photographed image position-adjusting module 32 adjusts the direction of top of the photographed image (I) to be correspondent with the direction of the position of the second button 24. Accordingly, the U/D positions of the photographed image (I) to being produced finally are inverted each other compared with when the first button 22 is settled as the photographing button. Therefore, the user can obtain an erect photographed image in case of FIG. 6.

The photographed image (I), which was adjusted its U/D positions, is transmitted to the terminal controlling module 25 (S9) by the photographed image position-adjusting module 32, and is stored in the photographed image storing module 27 (S102).

As described above, according to the invention, when a user takes a photograph, a protruding of the camera lens is basically excluded and the camera function is not operated unless the mobile communication terminal is stably supported. Accordingly, it is little possible for the user to drop the mobile communication terminal during the photographing and a possibility of damage of the camera lens can be reduced to the minimum even when the terminal is dropped.

In addition, according to the invention, even when the user takes a photograph under state that the mobile communication terminal is turned upside down, it is possible to finally produce an erect photographed image.

Further, the invention is not limited to the mobile communication terminal and exhibits a useful effect on the whole in the various electronics using a camera lens.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A mobile communication terminal having a camera function comprising: a main body having a camera lens; at least one photographing button and at least one supporting button mounted to an outside of the main body; a camera function module for performing a camera function according to pushed states of the photographing button and the supporting button to produce a photographed image; and a lens protruding control module for checking whether the supporting button is pushed when the photographing button is pushed to outwardly protrude the camera lens from the main body or return the camera lens to the main body according to the checking result.
 2. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the camera function module performs the camera function only when both the photographing button and the supporting button are pushed together.
 3. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the lens protruding control module returns the camera lens to the main body or maintains a returned state of the camera lens when the photographing button only is pushed and the supporting button is not pushed.
 4. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the photographing button and the supporting button are mounted to opposing surfaces of the main body, respectively.
 5. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein settling functions of the photographing button and the supporting button can be changed each other according to a user's choice.
 6. The terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a photographed image position-adjusting module for automatically adjusting the direction of top of the photographed image produced by the camera function module, to be correspondent with the direction of a position of the photographing button.
 7. A method of controlling a photographing process of a mobile communication terminal having a camera function module, comprising steps of: determining whether a photographing button is pushed; determining whether a supporting button is pushed when the photographing button is pushed; and communicating with the camera function module to protrude a camera lens when the supporting button is pushed.
 8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of communicating with the camera function module to interrupt a protruding of the camera lens when the supporting button is not pushed.
 9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of automatically adjusting the direction of top of the photographed image produced by the camera function module, to be correspondent with the direction of a position of the photographing button. 